Gompers Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I got this release on cassette tape before the vinyl, back in my more immature years. Like CoS, the cover was great and more so the record paper sleeve.Seeing Neil's written lyrics was very cool. The little pictures he drew made me crack up too. Fly by Night was a necessary progression for my understanding of the band. Rush rocks hard on this one and starting drifting from the Blues sound of their first release. I don't pick this up very often and when I do it is more to reminisce. There are some great tunes, but the overall experience doesn't keep me coming back anymore. The Great -Anthem -By-Tor And The Snow Dog -In The End The Good -Beneath, Between & Behind The OK -Best I Can -Fly by Night -Making Memories -Rivendell I rate FBN at a 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaldad Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 My fav of the first 4 . 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossedSignals Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Always had a soft spot in my heart for this one. First Rush record I really got into after MP, PeW, and 2112. Some skippable songs but a lot of gems. 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclonus X-1 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 The only song on this album that I don't particularly like is In the End, but even that one is fine if I happen to be in a suitable mood for listening to it. The rest of the material is quality stuff, especially the ever-catchy title track, the pleasantly low-key Rivendell, and the raucous By-Tor. But, in a way, the record amounts to something less than the sum of its parts: Rush delivered so much superior stuff down the road. So the score I'm giving it (7) is very much a relative one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savagegrace26 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 (edited) 7 Only album since Roll the Bones that I've rated less than an 8. Anthem, ByTor, and In the End are great. Fly By Night and BBB are good. The rest are mediocre. Edited May 9, 2012 by savagegrace26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAccountant Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Here goes: The Great By-Tor & The Snow Dog (a top 10 Rush song for me) Beneath Between & Behind Fly By Night The Good Anthem Rivendell In the End The Ok Making Memories Best that I Can It should be noted that BB&B and FBN are on the border of good and great. Was feeling generous tonight so they both went up to great. That being said, it does not change how I rank the album. If I was not feeling generous my overall score for the album would be the same. Anthem borders on great but is not there. This album is, IMO, by far the best of their first 3 albums and the beginning of (with the exception of CoS) a streak of very strong albums that went through the 70's, 80's and into the 90's. Not many groups have had such a long run of strong albums. Voted a 9 for the album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Finn Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Voted 6 That's 3 stars so not too bad. Anthem is killer song! Fly by Night and By-Tor & The Snow Dog are great ones too. Well everything else is pretty standard heavy rock. Not bad but not too memorable either. Still may be the best of the first 4 albums. I just don't care that much about guitar oriented heavy rock. I prefer a bit different kind of music tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastille Dave Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I gave it an 8. I think side 1 is spectacular and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Side 2 is weaker than side 1, but still some cool tunes. I've never really liked "Rivendell" and I skip it every time I play this CD, although when I spin the LP, I just let it play on. The great songs on this album keep it from falling to a 6 or 7 rating IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DistantEarlyRushFan Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Am I really the only one to rate this album a 10? Wow. This album is easily my #7 or #8 Rush album. It is quintessential Rush, plain and simple The Great By-Tor & The Snow Dog Beneath Between & Behind Fly By Night Making Memories Anthem In the End The Good Rivendell Best that I Can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 of the 7 Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 7. Love Fly By Night, Making Memories, and yes, even Rivendell. Beneath, Between, and Behind has grown on me. Love the beginning of In The End. I'm not as crazy about Anthem, Best I Can, By-Tor (sorry), or the latter half of In The End. The instrumental part of By-Tor is clever in that it sounds like growling, but it's a little long for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyfriar Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Solid 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormtron Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColdFireYYZ Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 A very solid 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeddyLeeRoth Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I would have given it an 8, but I clicked on 9 out of general principle. Its totally under rated by most Rush fans. Its significantly better than the debut or COS. Its solidly in my Elite Eight Rush albums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New World Kid Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 A 5 for Rush standards, an 8 in the community of rock Anthem defines Rush from that moment onwards. The band not only comes up with a rocking tune that blows away listeners, but it also goes the extra mile and develops a philosophy for the band that sticks with them forever. Best I Can is fun, and I think the original lyrics were awesome-er. Beneath, Between and Behind is exactly what I would look for from this era of the band. It's philosophical, well crafted, and concise. By-Tor and the Snow Dog is exactly what I don't like from this era of the band. It's long, meandering, and the lyrics are absolutely, non-sensically silly. I know everyone credits this track for starting their move into Progressive Rock, but I think too many people just look at the track length. Anthem did more for that push than this song. This was just silly. Fly By Night is the standard rock tune. Listenable, enjoyable, but repetitive, and not much beyond the surface of it. I've always found Making Memories to be a great track, a hidden gem in the very back catalog. I really dig this song. Like Best I Can, it's fun! but this also is the band's first attempt at tackling the stresses of touring and the music industry in a song, a theme they'll continue on for years with singles like Spirit of Radio, Limelight and Superconductor. Rivendell is awful. Just. Awful. For me personally, at least. I know different people like different things, but for me, this is the worst song in Rush's catalog. Nothing about it has aged well. It's Geddy's vocals at their worst. It's cheesy lyrics. It's dull. It has not aged well... has not transitioned into the now. Nothing about it was progressive or rock. I know when I broke out what I was really thinking against Caress people lambasted me, but hey, I'm still just calling it like I see it. In the End is a good song. It's really good music, but it's poorly executed. It gets repetitive very quickly, and I don't even know why. This would have been a killer 3.5 minute song, but it's stretched to 7 minutes. So overall, a 5 by Rush's standards. A lot of imperfections, but what else can you expect from a young band? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemical Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drbirdsong Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 8.5 If it didn't have Rivendell on it I would give it a 9. It is one of my favorites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silas Lang Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 QUOTE (Bastille Dave @ May 9 2012, 06:43 PM) I gave it an 8. I think side 1 is spectacular and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Side 2 is weaker than side 1, but still some cool tunes. Agree. Overall I rank Rush, CoS & 2112 ahead of it (not by much) but still a great album. Give it an 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinkingBig Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 QUOTE (Gompers @ May 9 2012, 12:54 PM) I got this release on cassette tape before the vinyl, back in my more immature years. Like CoS, the cover was great and more so the record paper sleeve.Seeing Neil's written lyrics was very cool. The little pictures he drew made me crack up too. Fly by Night was a necessary progression for my understanding of the band. Rush rocks hard on this one and starting drifting from the Blues sound of their first release. I don't pick this up very often and when I do it is more to reminisce. There are some great tunes, but the overall experience doesn't keep me coming back anymore. The Great -Anthem -By-Tor And The Snow Dog -In The End The Good -Beneath, Between & Behind The OK -Best I Can -Fly by Night -Making Memories -Rivendell I rate FBN at a 5. 'Fly by night' the song is just okay? It used to get radio play in L.A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sawyer Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 A very strong 7. My #9 album. Best song: By-Tor Worst song: Rivendell Overrated: In the End Underrated: Making Memories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losingit2k Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 A very Strong 6: The Great -Anthem -By-Tor And The Snow Dog -Fly by Night The Good -Beneath, Between & Behind -Best I Can The Just OK -Making Memories -Rivendell -In The End Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merely Space Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Rush learning to be Rush. Some rough edges. Generally good to very good, but Rivendell is quite possibly, for me, the worst song they have ever recorded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 8...very underated effort from the band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILSnwdog Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 QUOTE (losingit2k @ May 11 2012, 03:51 PM) The Just OK -Rivendell You're being too nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staunchally Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Hasn't aged well at all! The present is the pinnacle of artistic achievement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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